The thick fog, heavy mist and dense clouds hovered at the edges of the mountain trails as snowboarders and skiiers shredded down the slopes. The outing to Mt. Bachelor, sponsored by the University of Oregon’s Outdoor Program on April 5, is one of many trips the program has coordinated.
The Outdoor Program has been a part of the UO since 1967. The UO’s Outdoor Program has become a nationally recognized organization for its unique setup in the college realm. Unlike other collegiate outdoor organizations, the program encourages its trip initiators to create their own trips.
This particular trip to Mt. Bachelor was coordinated by sophomore Ryan Levenson, an advertising and business major who has been a trip initiator for the Outdoor Program for over a year. Levenson describes the Outdoor Program outings as “a cheap way to go on some fun trips with a lot of cool people.”
To become a trip initiator, organizers must first get approved by the Outdoor Program coordinators, who approve a trip based on if it can be realistically accomplished with their resources.
“It’s a great introduction to the area, the Outdoor Program and to meeting new people with similar interests to mine,” said Caroline Hager, the Outdoor Program’s Initiator Advocate.
Sophomore Erik Thorbeck has been on various trips up to Mt. Bachelor through the Outdoor Program. Thorbeck’s trips to Bachelor have been very frequent — going up almost every weekend since the beginning of winter term. On these trips, he is accompanied by 10 to 15 students along with his co-initiator. His favorite memory is a stop that he and others made to Cougar Hot Springs after a long day of skiing and snowboarding.
“It was a clear, warm night and we all swam in the hot springs while being able to see incredibly bright stars,” Thorbeck said. “It’s great being an initiator because I get to use all of the resources the Outdoor Program has to offer in order to plan trips I might not otherwise have the opportunity to go on.”
During this trip Levenson, Thorbeck and others were able to enjoy the mountain despite bad weather. They dealt with terrible vision conditions, but got to ride on patches of fresh powder and make plenty of group memories.
“The Outdoor Program is a great opportunity for any and all students to explore what’s around them with a good group of people,” Levenson said.
The Outdoor Program is having its first weekend at Smith Rock on April 18. During this trip students will get the opportunity hike, climb, bike, camp and enjoy the sites that Smith Rock State Park has to offer. Participants leave Friday morning and will be returning home on Sunday evening. When returning home on Sunday, students will have the opportunity to stop at McCredie Hot Springs for some fun and relaxation.